Dr David McGovern

I am a physical modeller specialising in Coastal and Ocean Engineering, with research expertise in sediment transport, fluid mechanics, tsunami dynamics, and the impacts of sea level rise. My work integrates experimental modelling with applied engineering to address pressing coastal hazards and support climate resilience.

I currently lead externally funded research projects totalling approximately £400,000, including £300,000 as Principal Investigator. My research has received international recognition and contributed to European policy, with citations in key EU climate adaptation and coastal risk documents.

At London South Bank University, I am a member of the University Research Centre for Energy, Materials and Environment, led by Professor Steven Dunn. Within this centre, I founded and lead the Coastal Hazards Group, fostering interdisciplinary research on natural hazard mitigation and coastal adaptation.

I have published in leading Q1 journals, with an h-index of 9 and over 335 citations. I currently supervise three PhD students and welcome enquiries from prospective doctoral candidates interested in tsunami risk, sediment dynamics, wave-structure interaction, or climate-driven hydrodynamics. The above is despite extensive career disruptions between 2020 - 2023.

Along with my active research in tsunami and storm surge inundation of the coastal built environment, I am also a member of the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT).

I have set up and lead the Coastal Hazards Group at LSBU BEA:

https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/research/centres-groups/civil-building-services-engineering/coastal-hazards-group

My current projects include:

• 'TsuTWin' KTP with HR Wallingford developing a tsunami wave train generator 2024 - 2026. £200k, Innovate UK
• Rising Seas and Collapsing Walls: Identifying the Equitable Data Landscape: 2024-25, £20k. RAEng
• PoliSeaWall: (Supporting evidence-driven policymaking for seawalls to mitigate sea level rise). £125k (£31k) British Academy. PI Open Univeristy, Co-I USK Indonesia.

I have space for new PhD students to join this research group (though currently I have no funded opportunities), and encourage prospective candidates to get in touch.